NFL: Jets’ Sam Darnold fully practices, on track to start against Bills

Sam Darnold is one step closer to returning from his foot injury.

The New York Jets rookie quarterback was a full participant at practice Wednesday, putting him on track to start at Buffalo against the Bills on Sunday.

“That’s the goal,” Darnold said. “I’m really excited about this week and where we’re headed. I’m really excited about how I felt today, so as of right now, I’m really excited about hopefully getting a chance to play on Sunday.”

Raiders sign C.J. Anderson for remainder of season

Running back C.J. Anderson has signed with the Oakland Raiders and could be in their backfield for Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Raiders coach Jon Gruden said that the move is insurance in case Doug Martin isn’t available. The Raiders primary running back since Marshawn Lynch went on injured reserve with a groin injury in mid-October, Martin is nursing a sore knee and his status is uncertain.

“Although we think he’ll be ready to go we can’t take any precautions,” Gruden said Wednesday. “We have to be ready. We have four games left to play and the Steelers blitz almost every play, so we needed a back. Fortunately for us C.J. Anderson was available and we’re happy to have him.”

A Pro Bowl back with Denver in 2014 when he had nearly 1,200 all-purpose yards, Anderson was released by the Carolina Panthers on Nov. 12 and had tryouts with Kansas City and Detroit before signing a deal with the Raiders for the remainder of this season.

Broncos wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders hurt

Although the schedule gets easier for the Denver Broncos this month, the degree of difficulty in reaching the playoffs keeps going up.

The Broncos (6-6) lost leading wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders to a torn left Achilles tendon on Wednesday. He was hurt in a non-contact drill at the beginning of practice.

The Broncos quickly claimed wide receiver Andre Holmes off waivers from Buffalo, giving them a seventh-year veteran to go with their four remaining receivers, all of whom made their NFL debuts this season.

Sanders, who led the team with 71 catches for 868 yards and four touchdowns in a bounce-back year, was injured on a routine route. He sensed the gravity of the injury as he crumbled to the ground, tearing off his helmet and rolling it away as teammates and trainers rushed toward him.

D.J. Humphries is latest Cardinal to go on season-ending IR

The Arizona Cardinals’ bad injury situation got worse on Wednesday when starting left tackle D.J. Humphries was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury.

The move leaves rookie center Mason Cole as the only remaining member of the offensive line that began the season, and he took over late in the preseason when starter A.Q. Shipley went down with a season-ending knee injury. Guards Mike Iupati and Justin Pugh are on injured reserve and tackle Andre Smith was released.

Giants safety Collins out for season with shoulder injury

New York Giants safety and leading tackler Landon Collins is going to miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury.

The Giants said Wednesday that Collins has a partially torn labrum and will need surgery. The team had said earlier Collins would not play Sunday in Washington.

The expected recovery time for this type of injury can be anywhere from four to six months.

Newton says he’ll be ready to play vs Browns; coach unsure

Cam Newton insists he isn’t missing a game.

The Panthers quarterback said he’ll be ready to play against the Browns on Sunday despite lingering pain in his throwing shoulder. But coach Ron Rivera wasn’t quite as certain Wednesday, leaving the door open by saying, “We’ll see. We’re not even to Friday.”

More than 20 months after having surgery to repair a partially torn rotator cuff, the 6-foot-5, 245-pound giant of a quarterback is still experiencing pain and discomfort in his right shoulder that is limiting what he can do on the field. Offensive coordinator Norv Turner has limited Newton’s downfield throws this season and twice replaced the league’s 2015 MVP with backup Taylor Heinicke when lining up for Hail Mary passes.

Newton reps were limited in practice Wednesday — as they have been for several weeks — as part of Rivera calls “the new normal.”